Chapter 2. Encounters and Opportunities (10)

Even if the other Saint Candidates ignore my words, people who have been directly healed by me don’t ignore me.

Actually, I didn’t do it with that intention.

“It’s not entirely without merit.”

The man Ria calls ‘Uncle,’ Kim Hyun-gang, said so.

“If the situation is too dire, everyone except the really skilled fighters is pulled out. Yes, if Sister says so, we will do that. We were already planning to reorganize the team as injured people have been appearing recently.”

At those words, I let out a slight sigh and relaxed my tension.

That should be enough.

The creatures beyond the gate are as wary of our world as we are of the world beyond the gate. After all, until you pass through the gate, you can’t know what the other side is like. It looks like a thin membrane wall.

“Are you planning to keep the gate open?”

“Well, there are opinions emerging that it would be better to close it soon. There’s nothing particularly worth obtaining. As always, some universities seem to want to research the ecosystem on the other side, but research is difficult when injured people keep appearing like this.”

You might ask if it’s okay to mobilize the military if there aren’t enough Hunters, but in most countries, the military is a force prepared for war.

Even if they are called upon for various things like civilian support, going beyond the gate into the domain of experts is not common. Unless a monstrous being emerges from beyond the gate and creates a defensive line.

From the country’s perspective, high-ranking Hunters are important human resources, so they can’t just be thrown away.

The task of closing the gate is the same as closing the gate from this side.

However, it’s just that the magic circle is created beyond the gate. As long as it can be connected through the gate, the rules for magic and physics apply equally on both sides.

Just as most gates appear suddenly, some disappear on their own, but if many gates disappeared on their own in the first place, Hunters wouldn’t have thought of entering so easily.

“It will take several hours to prepare. In fact, it’s a task that takes over ten hours, and depending on the magic interpretation, it can take days, but would it be alright if we asked you to stay here during that time?”

“On the condition that no one else approaches the room where the two of us are staying.”

Before I could answer, Ria said that.

“I’m the only knight on our side.”

When I looked at Ria, she shrugged her shoulders and said.

Mr. Kim Hyun-gang, who was looking at Ria with strange eyes, nodded.

“Yes. We will do as you say.”

“Then…”

“Yes, you can stay as you wish while the work is in progress. Even though it looks like this, we have a lot of food here. You can’t fight if you’re hungry, can you?”

“Oh.”

I was a little tempted by those words.

There are many people who can heal others instead of me. Perhaps I won’t even have a chance to step in unless someone who is truly on the verge of death appears.

Since I’ve also blocked the possibility of Lee Si-yoon dying, shouldn’t I just relax, eat various things, and go home?

“You only think about eating.”

“What? I haven’t said anything yet?”

“You weren’t not thinking about it, were you?”

What is this? Is it mind-reading?

Is it that extremely sharpened sense cannot be compared to mind-reading?

However, I, whose senses are not as developed as Ria’s, could not read Ria’s thoughts.

That was a little frustrating.

*

However, in the end, I couldn’t eat anything.

“You’re really consistent, hey.”

Ria said with a look of slight disgust, seeing me wandering outside the building, constantly thinking about the injured people.

“What if someone on the verge of death appears while I’m eating?”

As I retorted a little defensively,

“Yes, yes, of course. We’ve pulled out all the low-level Hunters, so who else would get hurt?”

was the question that came back.

That’s true, though.

“…People can collapse at any time.”

As I grumbled, Ria shrugged her shoulders. It felt like I could hear her voice saying, ‘Well, I won’t deny it,’ which made me feel a surge of emotion again.

No, now my brain is automatically replaying the voice.

We’ve learned too much about each other over the past month. Well, it can’t be helped since we share the same room.

As I muttered to myself and fiddled with my bangs, a group of people was walking towards us.

Ria can feel a bit intimidating when she’s angry, but the people approaching us had a much more overwhelming sense of intimidation.

They were mostly wearing black clothes, and of course, they were taller than Ria. With people who were about a head and a half to two heads taller than me approaching in groups, it felt like a moving wall.

And inside that wall was the nun I saw earlier.

Ria’s expression hardened, and she stepped in front of me. However, despite the intimidation, the opponents didn’t seem to be there to harm us, as they stepped aside, maintaining a slight distance.

The appearance of the ‘Saint Candidate’ became a little clearer.

She doesn’t have the same looks as me. Her eyes and eyebrows are black, and her facial features are typical of this country. She was pretty, but not unique.

Her hair was completely covered and tied up with a veil. Unlike me, she was wearing a nun’s habit that was very formally and well-worn.

The Saint Candidate’s gaze slowly scanned me from head to toe.

“You are Sister Anna, right?”

“…Yes, I am.”

As I replied with a grumble, the Saint Candidate’s eyes widened slightly, then narrowed again.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Sophie.”

That’s probably her baptismal name. She’s probably like me, without a secular name.

Judging by her expression earlier, she seems to have come to provoke me this time. Did the Cardinal order her?

Well, even if he didn’t order her, if she heard the rumors, she’d see me as a thorn in her side. For people who truly believe in God, a person who claims God doesn’t exist is simply a heretic.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Sister Anna. They say you have a rather… unique religious view.”

“Ah, yes, well.”

See. It’s coming up again.

In my church, since I make such a fuss, people don’t pick fights with me first anymore, but very occasionally, there are people who come to pick a fight with me at places where our volunteer activities overlap.

If not, then there are people who are not clergy but have somewhat fanatical tendencies.

As a Saint Candidate, they are clearly convinced of God’s existence. How could they not pick a fight when a human who rejects that truth is right in front of them?

If I were in their shoes, I’d want to refute someone who claims the Earth is flat.

I’m not saying I’m someone who claims the Earth is flat.

Perhaps she doesn’t like my indifferent reaction? Maybe she thinks she greeted me warmly.

“It’s not for any particular reason, but as a fellow Saint Candidate, I wanted to share various opinions.”

“Opinions.”

“Yes. I heard the rumors. Sister Anna, you also clearly possess proper divine power. Although I didn’t see it just now, I think it’s just that you haven’t had the chance.”

Hmm.

Is she trying to be subtle?

I tilted my head.

Well, that’s understandable. In fact, unlike this person or other clergy, I haven’t healed anyone here.

Although the usage is different, it’s reasonable to doubt ‘supernatural powers’ unless you show them directly in front of your eyes- no, even if you show them, it’s reasonable to doubt. There are people in the world who claim magic is a superpower and make money from it.

Hmm, that’s quite reasonable!

I revised my assessment of this person named Sophie slightly.

It’s more rational to judge based on the circumstances rather than blindly believing.

“If you have the chance, I would like to see Sister Anna use the power gifted by God-“

“Ah, wait a moment.”

I immediately revised my assessment of her as rational and reasonable.

“Yes?”

“That, the part about being a gift from God.”

I said to Sophie, who looked somewhat dumbfounded.

“If you want to be precise, divine power is closer to a natural law than a gift. So, like how focusing a magnifying glass in the sun and adjusting it properly can set paper on fire.”

“…?”

Sophie’s expression became a little blank.

Even if it’s just my imagination, the knights behind her also seem a bit blank.

“So, such power is just a natural law that already exists, and it’s a bit much to call it a gift. Seeing as even someone like me can use it, it doesn’t seem like it’s being specifically adjusted from above.”

“What, what do you mean?”

Ria raised her hand and touched her forehead.

No, it’s true!

Ah, of course, if you want to be precise, there might be an intention to mess with me from above, so judging it that way might not be unreasonable. It’s possible for someone to grab another person’s hand while walking down the street and place something like dog droppings on it.

“Well, I know it’s not my power in the first place, but even so, calling something that someone forcibly put in your hand a gift or a blessing- Ack!?”

“Hey, hey.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Ria poked my ribs.

“Do you know that the knights over there are inquisitors?”

“…Ah.”

“No, what are you saying in front of the people who guard the Saint? Those people can be quite troublesome if they get angry.”

Does it just end with being troublesome?

No, well, I heard that in reality, they feel more like ordinary police officers.

“…Sister Anna? Was what you said just now-“

Just as Sophie opened her mouth to react to my words.

Thump.

There was a sound that made the ground tremble.

Everyone around, including me and Ria, turned their heads towards the source of the sound.

It was towards the gate.

Although people were waiting nearby, there weren’t that many-

Beyond that gate,

“Aargh!?”

A blood-covered person flew in.

The already seriously injured person bounced off the floor several times before collapsing limply.

Is he even alive-

“Anna!”

But before I could even judge that, I was already running.